The Last GoodBye
by Jtoasn
Summary: Jester didn't want to say good-bye, because he knew it wasn't true. Warnings: Character death.


Title: The Last Good-Bye

Summary: Jester didn't want to say good-bye, because he knew it wasn't true.

Warnings: Character death.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Authors Note: My first JATD fanfic, I got hooked on it because of Random-Humour-Is-My-Friend, I just hope I can do this fandom justice. Certainly nervous posting this. Reviews would be appreciated.

Beta Read: Done by the brilliant and magnificent, Endless Secrets.

* * *

It had started with a cough.

Pepper had started to make some of her remedies, and they did help. Then one day, at the Yule day feast, Jester just could not stop coughing.

He was sent away and he lay in bed for the rest of the night, and when he did not get up the next morning, that's when they realised, it was more than just a cough.

'You are not to go see him.' Her mother said, 'He is ill, and heaven forbid that you catch the disease as well.'

Jane was heartbroken, she asked Dragon to check on her friend.

'Please, just tell me how he is. Is he eating? Is he sleeping? Feverish? Thin? Please Dragon.' she questioned fearfully.

And Dragon would see Jester through his window, he was lying in bed. His hat was lying on the foot of the bed, and he lay motionless while Pepper brought him baked apples. He didn't look any better; in fact, he looked worse than ever before.

He looked at the Dragon with a smile, aware that Jane was worrying about him.

'Tell her it is just a bad cold. Tell her I'm eating. I'm sleeping. I'm not feverish. And Pepper's food is helping a lot. Promise me Dragon. Please. She cannot come see me.'

He had made the others swear not to tell Jane about him, about how sick he really was. He didn't want her to get sick. Not now. Not when she was so close to her dream.

Dragon understood that, and although Jane woudl be very angry should she find out, none of them wanted to break their promise to Jester.

'He is fine, he's been eating those baked apples all day and reading up on his lectures, as YOU should be Jane.'

'If he's fine, I must see him.' she said, determined to see her friend.

'No!' Dragon exclaimed, just a bit too loudly, and just a bit too quickly.

'What?'

'Er, I mean... you're mother will get very angry at you if she sees you going to visit him, and you've still got training, and we have to go out hunting with the King and...'

'Dragon, are you trying to keep me away from Jester?'

'No, no of course not.' Dragon said, and paused for breath before continuing, 'You will see Jester soon enough, he'll be at the picnic with the Queen during the boar hunt, he's fine.'

And that kept her happy.

But Dragon would go and see Jester any chance he got.

'How you doing Jingle Boy?'

'Fine, I'll be dancing in no time.'

But they both knew it was a lie, each day he got worse; just a bit paler, just a bit weaker, just a bit thinner. Every now and then presents would come for Jester. Pepper had asked Gunther to write a letter to Jester's parents, they had not come but they had sent gifts.

Jester looked at the gifts sadly, 'It is only when I'm dying, that I become important.'

'You were always important.' Dragon said softly.

And Dragon would hum and watch as Jester fell asleep, for one more day at least.

And then as if no time had passed at all, it was the day of the chase and picnic, the day that Jane expected to see her friend again.

'So is Jester on his way to the picnic area?' Jane asked.

Dragon nodded enthusiastically, 'Yeah, he left this morning.'

Jane smiled and opened her bag, 'I hope so, because I asked my mother to make him a new hat. You know, for getting better.'

The bells jingled in her hands as she held up the hat; 'Do you think he'll like it?'

Dragon looked at the hat and nodded; 'He'll love it.'

And Jane left to get the horses ready for the king.

It was the last time Dragon would see Jester.

'How's he doing?'

'Not too good,' Pepper said, as she bit her lip, 'I do not like to think about it, he's so important to us.'

And Dragon finally poked his head through the open window. He looked at Jester in the bed; it seemed so big for him now. He was tucked under so many quilts, but he looked cold.

'How you doing Jingle Boy?' Dragon said, mustering as much excitement as he could.

Jester looked at him with those big eyes.

Or were they only big because his face was so thin, his skin so drawn?

'Fine... dancing ... soon.' He said, with a faint smile on his pale lips. 'Jane?'

'She is getting the horses ready; she thinks you're in the forest with the Queen and the Little Majesties.'

Jester could only nod, even if he couldn't bear to lie to Jane, he couldn't let her see him.

He looked at the others that had gathered around his bed.

'Go.' Jester told them, 'Jane can't ... see you.'

And Dragon left, with only one last glance at Jester before he soared into the sky and found Jane. Pretending that this would be a happy day for her, the bells of the hat rang near his ears as they flew above the castle, above the mountains, above everything.

'And this year, I'll wear a dress to that silly ball and I'll make sure Jester's the FIRST I dance with and...' Jane rambled as they soared, she could not wait to see her friend again.

But Dragon wasn't listening to what she was saying.

'_You must think... we're so small' Jester said, struggling with the words, 'Short Lives.'_

_'Some.' Dragon said, and then he looked at Jester, too young, far too young. 'Not you.'_

'Dragon!' Jane's voice cut into the memory, and Dragon looked up at the red-headed squire, 'The picnic is down there!'

This was the moment.

She'd find out now.

They landed, and she greeted the Queen and the children and saw the strange man doing back flips for their delight.

But he didn't have the feather light feet of Jester, he didn't have the blonde hair, he didn't have the tanned skin.

This was a replacement.

'Take me back to the castle now!' Jane ordered Dragon.

She was furious.

They flew back to the castle, in silence until it was broken by Jane's voice.

'Why didn't you tell me?'

'He made us promise Jane.'

'I'm your best friend!' she said, her voice trembling.

'I'm sorry Jane.'

And he was, he really was sorry.

They landed in the courtyard, and she ran to Jester's room, and she saw him.

The others had seen him, from the first day to the last.

Jane hadn't seen any of that, and yes, maybe Jester was wrong in not letting her see him earlier.

He just wasn't good at good-byes.

Tears blinded her as she staggered to his bed; she touched his face, his cold, peaceful face.

She shook her head, not wanting to believe it, not wanting it to be real. His hands had twisted around his quilts.

'He didn't want to go,' she said, looking at his hands; 'He was scared.'

Dragon looked at the now long gone Jester.

_How you doing Jingle Boy?_

And Jane sat next to the bed, as she unwound his hands from the quilts. She put it against her face, wishing them warm again.

'Oh Jester... you didn't even tell me your name. We didn't even get to dance. Jester... Why?'

But she looked at Dragon for that answer, 'Why?'

'You couldn't get sick. He didn't want you to lose your dream.'

She looked back at Jester, leaned over, and kissed his cold thin lips.

'That was my dream,' She said, 'I promise you that was _always _my dream.'

Dragons don't dream.

It wasn't something that came easily for them; it was why they don't remember their past very well.

But Dragon dreamed that night, of a bright white hall with tapestries and food piled miles high.

And a blue boy who jingled every time he moved.

_How you doing Dragon?_

And Dragon smiled, _You call that dancing? Wait until Jane gets here_.

_I intend to._

The last joke.

The last punch line.

Jester didn't want to say good-bye, because he knew it was not true.


End file.
